Steven Adler's brother has blasted the drummer's onetime GUNS N' ROSES bandmates as "greedy, selfish people" with "no heart."

Steven, who played with GN'R from 1985 to 1990, was famously kicked out of the band for his rampant drug use. And although he's made a few guest appearances with Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan on the "Not In This Lifetime" reunion tour, he wasn't invited to return to the group full time.

Jamie Adler paid tribute to his brother on a GUNS N' ROSES Facebook group, writing: "This man right here is what you call a true survivor. He went all the way to the depths of hell and was able to make it back alive. When most died he lived. What an amazing story of redemption my brother has to tell."

Calling Steven the "greatest big brother/grooviest drummer I've ever known," Jamie added: "If only Slash, Axl and Duff had 10% of the heart this man had then maybe he would be on tour with GN'R. If those guys had an ounce of decency, compassion, love, care and acceptance, maybe they would have allowed my brother to play more than one song in Argentina after they flew him all the way out there and TEASED him to only play one song. ONE SONG ONLY!!

"The only thing the fans wanna see is Adler back behind the kit especially since the world knows Adler is no longer on drugs or alcohol.

"It took him longer to drive down the hill from his house to the bottom then he was allowed to perform on stage in Argentina. What kind of inhumane people would ever be that cruel to someone?? Greedy, selfish people only."

Jamie went on to credit his brother with making it possible for GUNS N' ROSES to write and record its classic debut LP, 1987's "Appetite For Destruction".

"Without Steven Adler, there would never have been GN'R or the greatest rock album of all time," Jamie wrote. "Adler did teach Slash his first guitar chord and gave him his first guitar. For all we know, if Slash never met Adler, he may have never even found the guitar.

"People forget too often where they come from. Let's remind Slash right now how he picked up even being the greatest guitar player of our generation. Steven Adler handing you your first guitar. Facts!!

"Adler's groove made that album what it is today. That's why no other drummer since Adler has been able to duplicate that sound in GN'R. It's a gift from God not any drum lesson can teach you what he was born with."

Jamie then explained why Steven recently revived his ADLER'S APPETITE band, with whom he is about to embark on a tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of "Appetite For Destruction".

"[Axl, Slash and Duff] have no heart, so that's why [Steven] has to go out and do his own thing. He loves his fans so much and he wants to play for each and everyone of you.

"Do you actually think Steven Adler got sober and changed his entire lifestyle to sit around the house and do nothing? NOPE!! He did it so he can finish what he started.

"My brother is stronger then ever and will show the world once again this May when he begins his worldwide tour with his own band.

"You would think the guys in GN'R would be overly proud that their once-fallen brother has returned to health and happiness and would want to share their newfound success with him this time around. Well, my brother is alive and well, so it's never too late.

"I write this because I see a lot of fans making comments on why is Adler doing his own thing and not with GN'R.

"Please ask GN'R that Adler would love to be back on stage with GN'R. That's his dream. He's never been healthier and more alive as you see in all his pics.

"For those who struggle with addiction and life issues, my brother is an example and inspiration that you can turn your life around and live a life beyond your wildest imagination. If he can clean up, then it proves anyone can.

"I send all my love and respect to all who read this and love it or those who may disagree with what I said. I felt it was necessary to get this off my chest.

"GN'R is and always will be the greatest five-piece rock 'n' roll band of my generation. I'm just grateful I was a little part of it.

"My brother is alive and well today and I want the whole world to know this."

In February 2017, Steven Adler revealed to podcaster Mitch Lafon that he was originally supposed to appear at more than just a handful of shows on the GUNS N' ROSES reunion trek. He claimed that he expected to play all the "Appetite For Destruction" material during the entire tour, only to be told he was out after he hurt his back during rehearsals.

Adler appeared with GUNS onstage in November 2016 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as well as on three separate occasions during the U.S. leg of the "Not In This Lifetime" tour in the summer of 2016.

This marked Adler's first appearance with the group since 1990, although he performed with members of the band at their 2012 induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Speculation was rampant that Adler would participate in at least a portion of the reunion tour ever since GUNS made it official in January 2016. The regular GUNS drummer for several years has been Frank Ferrer, who is also part of the current lineup.

Steven is currently working on a new book called "Steven Adler: The Shit My Friends Remember I Did".

He described the book on "The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Show", saying: "Now that I'm sober, I'm talking to people and they're telling me stories, and it's just blank up there [in my head]; there's nothing there. So I decided I'm gonna put a book together [as a] reminder of the stories."

Adler started a web site called Steven Adler Stories where fans can share their personal tales about the drummer for possible inclusion in the book.

GUNS N' ROSES will return in June for a seven-week European jaunt, but the band's plans until then, and beyond that, remain unknown for now. The three core members have not given a single interview together.

Jamie Adler en el grupo #GnFnR Fanspot #NotInThisLifeTime

This man right here is what you call a true survivor. He went...Posted by Adler Argentina on Saturday, March 31, 2018

Conductor of the WSOU radio station conducted an interview with guitarist Bill Steer of British extreme metal pioneers CARCASS at the the second annual Decibel Metal & Beer Fest, which was held March 31 and April 1 at The Fillmore in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below.

Asked if CARCASS has been working on the follow-up to 2013's comeback album, "Surgical Steel", Steer said: "I've sort of lost count of how many years have gone by since that last record, but I think it's around five. And yeah, it feels long overdue that we tackle a new record. We did demo a bunch of stuff at Christmas — it was probably close to 50 minutes' worth of music — but we're not gonna stop; we're gonna keep on writing so that we've got quite a lot of material and we can pick the best stuff for the album. So quite when it will be recorded definitively, I don't know, but it will have to be this year. I mean, me and Dan [drummer Daniel Wilding] are going stir crazy, really — we're so keen to do it."

Steer also talked about the recent departure of second guitarist Ben Ash and addition of Tom Draper (POUNDER, ex-ANGEL WITCH, PRIMITAI). He said: "Well, I guess going back to what I was saying about five years of touring off one album, I think it's taken a toll on every one of us in one way or another. Ben was brought into the band as a live guitar player. We'd finished the album, we were booking shows and we needed to get out there with a second guitar player. This feels like an eternity ago, but we did have a Swedish friend of Jeff's [Walker, bass/vocals] who was in the frame, and then very near… it was quite near the knuckle for us, he kind of pulled out and said, 'Look, I can't do this for various reasons.' So then this frantic search began, and Ben came into the picture. And then we were off. And a lot of touring and a lot of travel [followed]. But, yeah, I gather he's quite keen to get back to some of the stuff he was doing beforehand, which is a lot of teaching, pretty much. And [Tom], our [new] second guitarist, he's a guy I've known for years. He would have been in the frame immediately [after 'Surgical Steel' was recorded], but as time would have it, it didn't work out, 'cause he'd moved with his wife to the U.S.A. And this is only his second show with us, so it's early days, but he's been fantastic. He's taking it very seriously. He's been so methodical with how he's learned everything, and he's very self-critical. So, yeah, he's a cool guy to have around."

Draper, who is from the United Kingdom but currently resides in California, made his live debut with CARCASS in early March at the Netherlands Deathfest at 013 in Tilburg.

"Surgical Steel" sold around 8,500 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 41 on The Billboard 200 chart.

GODSMACK's music video for the song "Bulletproof" can be seen below. The clip was filmed on February 7 at a studio in Los Angeles, California with the band's longtime visual collaborator Troy Smith. The satirical clip, which documents GODSMACK's quest to make a new video, features cameos from country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and former SKID ROW frontman Sebastian Bach in addition to TV personality Chris Jacobs from "Overhaulin'".

In the video, GODSMACK's manager — played by actual manager, Paul Geary — suggests that it's time for the band to expand its fanbase by working with new (and clueless) video directors, including one played by Sebastian Bach and another by Billy Ray Cyrus. After being pitched a host of awful ideas, Sully Erna decides to hire his cousin, Salvatore Pasquale from Sicily, Italy. Everything hilariously goes wrong at the shoot, climaxing with the set catching fire and, ultimately, the destruction of the video files.

"Bulletproof" is the lead single from GODSMACK's first album in four years, "When Legends Rise", which will be released on April 27. Frontman Sully Erna stated about the song: "I always write about things that have affected me on an emotional level. I think everyone knows that about me by now. But if I choose to do that, I have to be prepared to be honest and vulnerable. And so the challenge is figuring out how 'exposed' you want to be with personal information. But I've also learned over the years that for me, being transparent, even to the point of embarrassment sometimes, is so much better than holding it inside and extending that pain longer than you need to. 'Bulletproof' is just another moment in my life when I allowed myself to be vulnerable and got hurt. It's this kind of carelessness from other people that eventually hardens you and forces you to put up that wall to protect yourself. So when and if they circle back around and try to get back in, you make yourself bulletproof."

Asked what inspired the songs on "When Legends Rise", Erna explained: "It was just about evolving as a songwriter. I wanted to stretch my wings out even further to use all the experiences I've had with writing different types of music over the years and applying that to find a way to introduce a newer, fresher, more mature sound, but still maintaining the power of GODSMACK."

The new disc is GODSMACK's seventh studio effort and follows up to 2014's "1000hp". It's also the band's first release through BMG after splitting with its longtime home, Republic/Universal.

Erna said that the title of the album refers to "the band and our journey," adding, "It's been an amazing road we have traveled through all the ups and downs. But being able to conquer those challenging times with alcohol and egos and everything else that can tear a band apart is what we are the most proud of."

"When Legends Rise" was recorded at GODSMACK's headquarters (GSHQ) in Derry, New Hampshire and produced by Erik Ron and Erna.

Professionally filmed video footage of METALLICA performing the song "For Whom the Bell Tolls" on March 27 at Jyske Bank Boxen in Herning, Denmark and the track "The Four Horsemen" on March 29 at Barclaycard Arena in Hamburg, Germany can be seen below.

METALLICA played 12 shows in Europe since early February and has another 12 dates booked between now and mid-May.

METALLICA recently announced the details of the 2018-2019 North American leg of of its "WorldWired" tour in support of the band's latest album, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct".

The 34-date trek kicks off September 2 in Madison, Wisconsin and runs through March 13 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Each ticket purchase will be accompanied by a physical or digital copy of "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct".

METALLICA's "WorldWired" trek was the fifth-highest grossing tour of 2017, with 1.5 million tickets sold and $153 million earned. The band was also the top-selling rock act of the year and had the third best-selling rock album.

The first trailer for "Eonian", the new album from Norwegian symphonic black metallers DIMMU BORGIR, can be seen below. In the clip, singer Shagrath and guitarist Silenoz discuss the writing process for the disc, which will be released on May 4 via Nuclear Blast.

"Combining orchestral elements with thrash metal riffs or black metal riffs can be quite challenging," Shagrath states. "But that's how we like to make music, to mix unexpected elements. I's almost like mixing water with oil — everyone knows that this doesn't really work, but we make it work!"

The songwriting core of DIMMU BORGIR still consists of Shagrath and guitarists Silenoz and Galder. They are joined in the band's current lineup by drummer Daray and keyboardist Gerlioz.

"Eonian" contains 10 new tracks, produced by the band itself and engineered by Jens Bogren. Emerging from the dark minds of the three songwriters, "Eonian" follows a philosophical concept, dealing with the illusion of time.

Silenoz told Metal Shock Finland about DIMMU BORGIR's long-awaited follow-up to 2010's "Abrahadabra": "We feel that we're sitting on the best album that we could possibly do at this time, and personally, I think it's definitely our best album to date. Obviously, that's something that everybody says, but if I didn't believe that we would do our best album, there wouldn't really be any point doing a new one. So, yeah, I'm really excited about it, and I know that quite a few fans will probably be positively surprised."

As for the musical direction of DIMMU BORGIR's new effort, Silenoz, said: "I think it's safe to say that [the parts that are] more epic and majestic are more epic and majestic, and the same goes for the brutal sound of DIMMU and also the primitive and more black metal sound of DIMMU is more black metal this time around. So you will have the more extremes of each part that we are known for."

"Eonian" track listing:

01. The Unveiling

02. Interdimensional Summit

03. Ætheric

04. Council Of Wolves And Snakes

05. The Empyrean Phoenix

06. Lightbringer

07. I Am Sovereign

08. Archaic Correspondence

09. Alpha Aeon Omega

10. Rite Of Passage

CONTROL DENIED, the progressive heavy metal brainchild of legendary DEATH mastermind Chuck Schuldiner, released its first and only album, "The Fragile Art Of Existence", in 1999 to massive critical acclaim. Now available for the first time ever as an official vinyl release, "The Fragile Art Of Existence" has been fully remastered with additional bonus tracks and demos plus deluxe repackaging. The vinyl will see its official release on June 1 via Relapse Records.

Available as a gatefold 2xLP, double picture disc and deluxe 3xLP boxset featuring over an hour of rare material (extra tracks and early demos previously only available on the Relapse deluxe 3xCD reissue), this is the definitive edition of this timeless classic.

Watch the official vinyl promo video featuring "Expect The Unexpected" below.

"The Fragile Art Of Existence" is the sound of traditional metal stepping into a new century; an album where the experiences and inspirations of trail-blazing, world-class musicians coalesced under the watchful eye of one of the genre's master craftsmen.

"The Fragile Art Of Existence" (3xLP box set) track listing:

LP 1/2:

01. Consumed

02. Breaking The Broken

03. Expect The Unexpected

04. What If…?

05. When The Link Becomes Missing

06. Believe

07. Cut Down

08. The Fragile Art Of Existence

LP 3:

01. Consumed - 1999 Demo

02. When The Link Becomes Missing - 1999 Demo

03. Breaking The Broken (with Chuck Schuldiner on vocals) - 1999 Demo

04. Believe - 1997 Demo

05. The Fragile Art Of Existence - 1996 Demo

06. Expect The Unexpected - With Chuck Schuldiner on vocals - 1996 Demo

07. What If…? - With Chuck Schuldiner on vocals - 1996 Demo

08. Cut Down - With Chuck Schuldiner on vocals - 1996 Demo

Chuck Schuldiner was the creative center of the influential heavy metal band DEATH. Combining strong songwriting with powerful, brutally delivered lyrics, the band was anything if not extreme. Seeking a project a little closer to his classic metal roots, in 1996 Schuldiner assembled CONTROL DENIED, a band which borrowed most of DEATH's personnel and added the strong and clear vocals of Tim Aymar. Aymar had provided vocals for a string of successful metal bands, including PSYCHO SCREAM, and he suited the more melodic approach that Schuldiner was looking for. To Schuldiner, CONTROL DENIED was part of a vision — he acted much like a director or coach in bringing that vision to fruition. He maintained tight creative control yet allowed the creative talents of musicians like Aymar and bassist Steve DiGiorgio to shine through. The project produced one album, "The Fragile Art Of Existence", in 1999, issued by Nuclear Blast America and now reissued in a deluxe package by Relapse Records in 2018.

Written by Stacia Proefrock

COHEED AND CAMBRIA has signed a deal with Roadrunner Records. The band's brand new studio album is due later this year.

The progressive unit comprised of Claudio Sanchez (vocals, guitar), Travis Stever (guitar), Josh Eppard (drums) and Zach Cooper (bass) made the announcement in a shadowy video clip shared today on Roadrunner's official YouTube channel.

This summer COHEED AND CAMBRIA will set out on a U.S. co-headline tour with TAKING BACK SUNDAY and special guests THE STORY SO FAR. The 28-city trek, produced mostly by Live Nation, will begin on Friday, July 6 in Miami, Florida and make stops in Atlanta, Nashville, Boston, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Chicago, Cleveland, Austin, Denver, Las Vegas and more. The summer tour will culminate in a performance at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona on Sunday, August 12.

It's been over two years since COHEED AND CAMBRIA's 2015 album, "The Color Before The Sun", was released as the band's first "non-concept" effort over the span of its 15-year career. The album left the sci-fi universe of "The Amory Wars" and instead focused on frontman Claudio Sanchez's personal life, including the birth of his first child. With 2018 upon us, and a major summer tour now announced, the volume of fans' chatter for a new album and whether or not it will return to the band's fictional concept arc will surely reach new heights.

COHEED AND CAMBRIA is a rare band whose music is able to transcend "scenes" and effortlessly cross genres of rock — from indie to progressive, to metal and pop-punk to classic rock. The band is frequently compared to progressive, operatic rock bands of the '70s, ala QUEEN, SUPERTRAMP or RUSH due to their thrilling concept albums that take you on a grand journey of sounds and often clock in around 10 minutes, but still somehow include sugary pop-laden hooks.

The group's following has grown steadily every album, partly due to their ferocious live show that brings fans to their knees with an equally expansive light show. This summer, the band will be performing songs from their expansive catalog, and we can only imagine they'll pull a few new tricks from up their sleeves.

Although he won't be touring with the band, guitarist James Iha was still part of the recording sessions for the new A PERFECT CIRCLE album, "Eat The Elephant". According to The Pulse Of Radio, an article in the latest issue of Guitar World chronicles the making of the long-awaited LP, mentioning that Iha, bassist Matt McJunkins and drummer Jeff Friedl all assisted in the making of the record after being part of the lineup for years.

Iha, however, has had to drop out of touring with the band due to the recently announced SMASHING PUMPKINS reunion trek. Iha will be unable to join A PERFECT CIRCLE on the road until June, with FAILURE guitarist Greg Edwards tapped to temp in his place.

APC guitarist and founder Billy Howerdel acknowledged that the band's always uncertain schedule can cause problems, explaining: "When APC will reconvene is never exactly defined. That's frustrating, for sure, but maybe that contributes a little bit to the magic that can happen when we do get together — that feeling of not being predictable, not punching a clock."

Howerdel added: "But I’d still prefer to tour, make a record, take a little break, then tour and make another record."

Howerdel told The Pulse Of Radio that even when APC is dormant, he is always writing music for that group, his other band ASHES DIVIDE or other outlets. "I never stop writing, so where the songs go is always the trick, you know," he said. "They're in the 'Billy' folder and then they get designated into either the 'Ashes' folder or 'APC' or 'other artists' or 'film score'...I'm always working."

The last APC studio effort, a covers collection titled "eMOTive", came out in 2004. "Eat The Elephant" arrives on April 20.

A PERFECT CIRCLE will begin touring in support of the new album on April 14 in Tucson, Arizona. SMASHING PUMPKINS' "Shiny And Oh So Bright" tour kicks off on July 12 in Glendale, Arizona.

THEORY OF A DEADMAN has shared the official video for its cover of Chris Isaak's legendary 1989 hit "Wicked Game". The track is taken from the band's latest album, "Wake Up Call", which was released last October.


Recorded with producer Martin Terefe at London's Kensaltown Studios, "Wake Up Call" finds THEORY — Tyler Connolly (lead vocals, lead guitar), David Brenner (rhythm guitar), Dean Back (bass) and Joey Dandeneau (drums) — extending themselves beyond the easy comforts of complacency to create an album that pushes the songwriting envelope with songs like "Rx", which takes aim at the opioid epidemic impacting families across North America and "PCH", which juxtaposes the nostalgia for seemingly endless nights with friends and the bitter realities of life.

Back told AXS about the making of "Wake Up Call": "During the writing process, Tyler's go-to was to always pick up a guitar and write with that. He pushed himself through and instead of writing with the guitar he used a piano he has in his house. He has been teaching himself how to play; his dad always played keyboards in bands. I think writing on the piano opened up another creative realm in him. That was the beginning of it. When we heard the demos, we knew we had to do something different with this record. The songs were so strong and the lyrics were top notch.

"Our last four records we recorded in L.A. with the same producer, same engineer, same team," he continued. "We put the feelers out looking for something different and Martin Terefename came up, the Swedish producer. He was totally pumped about the project. We asked him to come to L.A. and record there, but he said he has his studio set up in London, works out of there. Martin asked if we wanted to go to London and we said, 'Yes!' Seven weeks we were in his London studio. Great history there and we were kind of isolated from everything, so it gave us the ability to really focus on the album. No distractions from family and friends. Working with Martin was completely different too. Normally we would do two or three weeks of pre-production to get the songs ready to go, then go into the studio and hit 'record.' He did not want to do that at all. When he heard we hadn't played the songs yet, he thought it was perfect. Didn't want us to. Said we should just go in the studio, hit record and then begin to play them. He was really hands-on too. He really jumped in. Ideas were flowing. This record really came together organically. It is different, for sure — a lot of growth for us on this album."


"Wake Up Call" follows 2014's "Savages", which earned THEORY their second consecutive Top 10 album on the Billboard 200 and third consecutive #1 on Billboard's Hard Rock Albums chart.

THEORY is set to kick off a U.S. headline tour on May 15 in New Haven, Connecticut.

Like a mid-20th century funhouse gone mad, MINISTRY's just-released video for the track "Victims Of A Clown" is a relentless hallucinogenic ride through images of creepy clowns roaming circuses where there are no exits, men parading in ghoulish gas masks, psychological messaging, physical reality bending, and nightmarish suburbia. And then there's DJ Swamp's couture. You can check it all out below.

"Victims Of A Clown" was produced and directed by Chris Roth and Steve Roth of The Other House Productions, the same team that created MINISTRY's surreal and provocative "Twilight Zone" video as well as "I'm Invisible" for Jourgensen's side project, SURGICAL METH MACHINE.

"For the 'Victims Of A Clown' video, we strived for a drastic stylistic departure from 'Twilight Zone'," said Chris Roth. "'This video is a much more raw, down-and-dirty, crunchy graphic art film."

Filmed in Los Angeles late last year, the entire video was shot exclusively with handheld cameras and the band was lit with extreme rapid flash lighting that limited the final palette of the video to only three colors — black, white, and red. "The end result," Steve Roth added, "is very powerful. Loaded with raw energy and power."

MINISTRY is currently on the road in support of the band's new album, "AmeriKKKant" — with "Victims of a Clown" featured in the live set.

Joining Jougensen in MINISTRY's current touring lineup are drummer Derek Abrams, vocalist Burton C. Bell (FEAR FACTORY), live scratcher DJ Swamp (BECK, THE CRYSTAL METHOD), alongside longtime bandmembers Sin Quirin and Cesar Soto on guitars, Tony Campos (FEAR FACTORY, STATIC-X, ASESINO, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY) on bass, and keyboardist John Bechdel (KILLING JOKE, FEAR FACTORY).

KING DIAMOND is preparing to enter the studio to begin writing and recording the long-awaited follow-up to 2007's "Give Me Your Soul... Please" album. The band is also putting the finishing touches on the Blu-ray and DVD filmed during KING DIAMOND's 2015-2016 "Abigail In Concert" tour.

KING DIAMOND's singer and namesake spoke about the group's plans for the coming months during a March 29 appearance on Eddie Trunk's SiriusXM radio show. He said: "As soon as the DVD is finished — it'll be a matter of two or three weeks — [KING DIAMOND guitarist Andy La Rocque] is showing up here [in Frisco, Texas] to initiate my home studio where I'm gonna do all the vocals for a brand new KING DIAMOND studio album."

Although the music for the next KING DIAMOND disc is far from completed, the storyline is "about 80 percent done," according to King. "There's some very unique things I'm putting into it this time where you will relate to some of the sounds you hear on it, 'cause it's sounds that you will hear on certain days in your private life," he said. "You're outdoors, or whatever, and you might hear certain sounds and you will, guaranteed, think, if you heard the album, 'I wonder if that thing King talked about could have happened when I heard that sound here.'"

After recently signing with 5B Artist Management, the company that represents SLIPKNOT and MEGADETH, among other acts, King said that 2019 will likely see KING DIAMOND "playing more shows than we might have ever played in a year in our career. And that has a lot to do with new management and a great booking agent and record label — everybody around us is really doing a great job of trying to put a whole lot of things together that would never have been possible the way we were doing things up until now where we have done everything ourselves. I know 5B was very surprised that we had gotten to where we were without having management ever," he added. "We had to learn the hard way all the time. But it's nice to have the knowledge, and now it's great to see some people that have the power to open doors that we cannot open ourselves."

According to King, the forthcoming Blu-ray and DVD will contain two full KING DIAMOND concerts — one recorded at an indoor venue in 2015 in Philadelphia and other at the outdoor Graspop Metal Meeting festival in 2016 in Belgium.

"The way we recorded it, the way it's been edited is very unique," King said. "I don't think our fans will have seen anything like it ever before. On the entire tour — both tours — we recorded ourselves [using] nine GoPros [cameras] every night, placed in different places: in a coffin, on lanterns we used [around the stage], grandma's wheelchair had a thing on it, on guitars and railings… It was everywhere; we didn't even know where they were until after [we saw them]. And there was 25 shows that we did it to. And then the two shows we did with nine pro cameras on top of it."

At this point, King and his team are "98 percent done" editing and mixing the Philadelphia show, "and it has blown my mind," he said. "Every time I watch a few songs from it, I see new things I didn't see before."

Andy said in a 2017 interview that he was "pretty sure" KING DIAMOND's next album would once again be a concept record. As for the disc's musical direction, the guitarist said: "I don't really know yet, because we don't really have the songs yet. Whatever comes to mind, I believe. It's probably gonna be a good mix of everything. Probably, I would say, a classic KING DIAMOND album, with a good sound."

According to Andy, he and King Diamond will jointly produce the band's next album. "And then we'll see what's happening, depending on what way we're gonna go with it," he said. "But King's got his own home studio set up, so he's gonna record all the vocals back him, in his cellar — black and dark, of course, with spiders and bones and skulls."

The "Abigail In Concert 2015" tour saw KING DIAMOND performing the classic 1987 album "Abigail" in its entirety.

KING DIAMOND in 2002 released an album called "Abigail II: The Revenge", which was said to feature a storyline that was the sequel to the original "Abigail" LP.

German metallers POWERWOLF will release their seventh album, "The Sacrament Of Sin", later in the year via Napalm Records. The follow-up to 2015's "Blessed & Possessed" was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden with producer Jens Bogren, who has previously worked with KREATOR, DRAGONFORCE, SEPULTURA and PARADISE LOST, among others.

Guitarist Matthew Greywolf comments: "We're proud to finally unveil the album title along with the amazing cover artwork of 'The Sacrament Of Sin'. While we are in the final stage of mixing the album at Fascination Street Studios, we can't wait to unleash this monster and celebrate this new chapter together with all of you. Expect nothing less but a mass more intense than ever, bringing some new elements to the liturgy while being as wild and wolfish as it could!"

"The Sacrament Of Sin" track listing:

01. Fire & Forgive

02. Demons Are A Girl‘s Best Friend

03. Killers With The Cross

04. Incense And Iron

05. Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone

06. Stossgebet

07. Nightside Of Siberia

08. The Sacrament Of Sin

09. Venom Of Venus

10. Nighttime Rebel

11. Fist By Fist (Sacralize Or Strike)

12. Midnight Madonna (bonus track; only available at EMP and Napalm Records mailorder)

POWERWOLF will embark on the European "Wolfsnächte Tour 2018" in the fall. Swedish melodic metal sensation AMARANTHE and Germany's heavy/glam high flyers KISSIN‘ DYNAMITE will be joining in as special guests.

Greywolf told New Noise in a 2016 interview that the members of POWERWOLF "don't care about labels, such as power metal or whatever. We are a band that plays heavy metal, period. I've grown up listening to bands such as IRON MAIDEN, BLACK SABBATH, MERCYFUL FATE and SAVATAGE; I never wondered how to label those bands, since they were just great heavy metal bands for me, and I still see it that way."

Greywolf also talked about POWERWOLF's strong visual presentation in a live environment, which was captured on the "The Metal Mass Live" DVD and Blu-ray, released in July 2016 via Napalm Records.

"I love bands who deliver a great visual show on top of the music," he said. "To make that point clear, it's the music that matters most and comes first. We are a metal band, not a theater group. But if you take a look at those great shows, like what IRON MAIDEN delivered in the '80s and still deliver, it's obvious that a great metal shows needs to be supported by great visuals."

METALLICA bassist Robert Trujillo and guitarist Kirk Hammett performed a Czech folk song during the band's concert Monday night (April 2) at Prague's O2 Arena.

The track in question, singer Ivan Mládek's "Jožin Z Bažin" ("Jožin From The Swamp"), was introduced by METALLICA frontman James Hetfield as some "local flavor."

"Jožin Z Bažin" is a parody song about a man-eating swamp monster in Moravia who consumes tourists from Prague and is defeated by a Škoda driver using a cropduster.

METALLICA played 12 shows in Europe since early February and has another 12 dates booked between now and mid-May.

METALLICA recently announced the details of the 2018-2019 North American leg of of its "WorldWired" tour in support of the band's latest album, "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct".

The 34-date trek kicks off September 2 in Madison, Wisconsin and runs through March 13 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Each ticket purchase will be accompanied by a physical or digital copy of "Hardwired… To Self-Destruct".

METALLICA's "WorldWired" trek was the fifth-highest grossing tour of 2017, with 1.5 million tickets sold and $153 million earned. The band was also the top-selling rock act of the year and had the third best-selling rock album.

Norwegian/Spanish hard rockers TNT have released a new song called "Get Ready For Some Hard Rock". The track, which can be streamed below, is taken from their upcoming studio album, "XIII", due on June 8 via Frontiers Music Srl.

Spanish singer Baol Bardot Bulsara made his live debut with TNT last November at the Oslo Spektrum on Oslo, Norway, where the band performed as the support act for the SCORPIONS.

TNT said in a statement: "This will be a new chapter for TNT and we wish Baol Bardot Bulsara welcome as our new singer. We look forward to a new year with gigs and a new album coming up soon!"

Baol stated in a video message: "I'm very happy and very grateful to be here, to be a part of the TNT family now. This is a dream come true for me, actually, because I've been a fan of TNT since my teens. You could say I grew up listening to the band. So this is kind of a strange karma for me, you know. I just wanted to tell you that I'm here to continue with the legacy and hopefully see you all in the near future touring and having fun together."

"XIII" track listing:

01. We're Gonna Make It

02. Not Feeling Anything

03. Fair Warning

04. It's Electric

05. Where You Belong

06. Can't Breathe Anymore

07. Get Ready For Some Hard Rock

08. People, Come Together

09. Tears In My Eyes

10. 17th Of May

11. Catch A Wave

12. Sunshine

TNT announced in October that it was once again parting ways with American vocalist Tony Harnell.

Harnell rejoined TNT in May 2016, less than a year and a half after his previous departure from the group.

At the time of Harnell's latest exit from TNT, the band was said to be working on a new studio album for a 2018 release via Frontiers Music Srl.

Harnell previously quit TNT in January 2015 after a 15-month stint with the band.

British singer Tony Mills appeared on three studio albums from TNT: 2007's "The New Territory", 2008's"Atlantis" and 2010's "A Farewell To Arms".

DOWNPOUR, the Massachusetts metal band featuring current and former members of SHADOWS FALL and UNEARTH, will release its debut album later in the year via PledgeMusic. The disc was recorded in spurts over a four-month period in 2015. The band purposefully elected to sit on the record until the time to release it was just right.

DOWNPOUR started as a project without any expectations — just an unfettered desire to play music. Their initial instrumental jam nights among the members offered a respite from real life — things like 9-to-5s, crumbling relationships, bills, and beyond. Their sessions were akin to therapy sessions and the music became increasingly heavy.

Soon it morphed into a beast they could no longer hold back. It was becoming its own entity. The music they were creating was so invigorating that it convinced SHADOWS FALL vocalist Brian Fair to change lanes and join the band. It was a no-brainer, as Fair and drummer Derek Kerswill (UNEARTH, SEEMLESS) solidified their musical chemistry when they played together in the aforementioned SHADOWS FALL in the early '00s.


Kerswill says: "We consciously sat on the record for the last few years due to a lot of scheduling issues and we had all talked about the idea that back then. Everything was about content, and we wanted the days of SOUNDGARDEN- and TOOL-style mystery."


"When I was first approached by Derek about getting involved with the DOWNPOUR, ‪SHADOWS FALL was starting to come to an end and I wasn't sure I was ready to start working with another band," Fair admits. "When he sent me the instrumental versions of the songs, I knew immediately that I had to get in! The combination of musicianship, unique songwriting style, and a groove that can't be fucked with just absolutely blew my mind."


Fair adds: "This was not only music I had always wanted to hear — it was music that I thought would allow me to push myself as a vocalist and try totally new things. I tracked some lo-fi, home studio demos and sent them off to the boys, having no idea if they would be feeling what I was laying down but I know I was! Luckily, they got my vision and encouraged me to push it even further."


The band, rounded out by guitarist Matt LeBreton and bassist Pete Gelles, continues to maintain that same vision.


"We wanted to make a unique metal record that represented our varied influences, unrestrained by subgenre or any other restrictions," Fair says. "The vocal lines and lyrics seemed to flow effortlessly. The riffs and grooves really inspired me to find some deep and personal subject matter that I had yet to explore lyrically. Before I knew it, we had enough material for the record and we hadn't even all jammed in the same room yet!"

They eventually did come together and Fair labels those first rehearsals as "electric." Fans will be able to hear and feel that crackle in the finished product.

For a taste of what to expect, listen to "Without The Fear" below.


Fans can pre-order the self-titled album via a variety of configurations and options with incentives here. Packages include items and collectibles for every level of fan: the digital album, autographed copies, vinyl, a signed and handwritten lyric sheet, a signed drumhead, the band performing your house party anywhere continental U.S., and the Nickel Bag Of Funk, in which Fair will chop off a nickel bag-sized chunk of his infamous dreadlocks for the first time since 1995.

California metal veterans IMPENDING DOOM have released a new song titled "The Wretched And Godless". The track is taken from the band's all-new LP, "The Sin And Doom Vol. II", which will be released on June 22 via Entertainment One.

"The wait is over! After five years, we're happy to be back with a new record," says the band. "We wanted to write a heavy straight to the point record that our genre of music seems to be lacking today."

"The Sin And Doom Vol. II" is the follow-up to 2013's "Death Will Reign", which sold 4,300 copies its first week of release and debuted at No. 116 on the Billboard 200 chart.

"The Wretched And Godless" is available on all streaming platforms as well as an iTunes instant-gratification track, meaning fans who pre-order the album on iTunes will receive "The Wretched And Godless" as an immediate download.

IMPENDING DOOM commissioned artist Colin Marks (FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, WHITECHAPEL) to create the cover art for the latest release. Marks also handled the artwork for "The Serpent Servant" (2009).

Having worked with top-tier genre producers in the past, including Chris "Zeuss" Harris (ROB ZOMBIE, HATEBREED, QUEENSRŸCHE) and Will Putney (EVERY TIME I DIE, THE AMITY AFFLICTION, THY ART IS MURDER), but for album number six, they've returned to the grassroots and hands-on way they engineered and produced their earliest recordings, cloaking it in grimy sonic mysteries anew. Christopher Eck, who produced their first album, oversaw the proceedings once again.

"The Sin And Doom Vol. II" track listing:

01. The Wretched and Godless

02. Burn

03. War Music

04. EVIL

05. Paved With Bones

06. The Serpents Tongue

07. Unbroken

08. Devils Den

09. Everything's Fake

10. Run For Your Life (She Calls)

Photo credit: Joe Butler

Gothenburg, Sweden-based rockers HARDCORE SUPERSTAR have released a music video for their latest single, "Electric Rider". The clip, which contains footage of the band's March 24 concert at Lisebergshallen in Gothenburg, was filmed and edited by Max Ljungberg.

"Electric Rider" is taken from HARDCORE SUPERSTAR's forthcoming 11th studio album, "You Can't Kill My Rock 'N' Roll", which is due later in the year via Gain Music Entertainment.


"Electric Rider" is described in a press release as "three minutes and 40 seconds of that classic hard-hitting HARDCORE SUPERSTAR sound, all wrapped up in an infectiously 'sweet satanic groove' that's guaranteed to give the band their third radio hit in a row."


HARDCORE SUPERSTAR debuted "Electric Rider" live at its recent concert in Norrköping, and within minutes, fan-filmed footage was up on YouTube and several forums to rapturous applause, confirming that this is a natural choice for a single and a definite crowd pleaser.


The new single ties in with HARDCORE SUPERSTAR's current world tour that includes several select co-headline dates with fellow countrymen MUSTASCH in Sweden before they take things further afield into Finland, Spain, Italy and Australia, all after headlining the opening day of the prestigious Sweden Rock Festival in June.

"Won't Give Up The Fight", a brand new song from PENNYWISE, can be streamed below. The track is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Never Gonna Die", due on April 20 via Epitaph. The legendary punk band's twelfth full-length is the first full album of new songs with singer Jim Lindberg, guitarist Fletcher Dragge, drummer Byron McMackin, and bassist Randy Bradbury in over a decade.

Produced by longtime PENNYWISE collaborator Cameron Webb (MOTÖRHEAD, NOFX, ALKALINE TRIO), "Never Gonna Die" came to life in the same space where the band penned classic songs with late bassist Jason Thirsk. With its quintessential power to merge the subversive and the celebratory, PENNYWISE has built the album on fast-paced anthems expertly engineered to inspire radical change, personal empowerment, relentless hijinks, and reckless fast times.

"Never Gonna Die" track listing:

01. Never Gonna Die

02. American Lies

03. Keep Moving On

04. Live While You Can

05. We Set Fire

06. She Said

07. Can't Be Ignored

08. Goodbye Bad Times

09. A Little Hope

10. Won't Give Up The Fight

11. Can't Save You Now

12. All The Ways U Can Die

13. Listen

14. Something New

Formed in the South Bay of Los Angeles — a neighborhood with a rich punk-rock history — PENNYWISE began in 1988. The band went on to amass an international following with their relentless touring and a melodic, high-energy sound fusing classic punk, surf punk, and blistering hardcore. Through the years, PENNYWISE has solidified its place in punk history with iconic songs like "Fuck Authority", "Alien" and "Bro Hymn" (their timeless ode to brotherhood and departed friends).

PENNYWISE has released 11 albums over the last three decades. Resolutely working outside the margins of the mainstream, the band has emerged as an enduringly vibrant staple on SoCal radio airwaves and the worldwide festival circuit.

Former Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young recently launched his new East Meets West Project featuring Japanese vocalist Maki Oyama. While they work on new material, Oyama has released her live acoustic cover of the Sex Machineguns classic "Mikan No Uta" which can be found below.

Back in February, East Meets West Project posted their long distance cover of One Ok Rock's "Kanzen Kankaku Dreamer". Check it out below.

Young recently checked in with the following update:

"We recorded the full sketch arrangement of the new/first East Meets West Project original song today. Even more than I hoped for... don't ya just love it when a plan Finally falls together? Everyone on the team was cool and things flowed real groovy. Much thanks to all involved!

Studio excerpts coming to Patreon asap. This tune is a barn burner!"

Maki Oyama - Vocals
Jeff Young - Guitar 
Jeff Tortora - Drums

KnuckleBonz has announced the production of the MÖTLEY CRÜE Rock Iconz statues. Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, Tommy Lee and Vince Neil will all be featured as new additions to the Rock Iconz collectible series. The deal was brokered by Global Merchandising Services, worldwide agent for the band.

There are only 3,000 created and sold worldwide. These collectibles are currently in production and slated to ship in the summer of 2018.

The MÖTLEY CRÜE Rock Iconz statues are officially licensed, hand-painted, numbered and come with a certificate of authenticity on the base. These statues are created in 1/9 scale, making the average height of each approximately 8.5 inches tall.

"We love to see our fans getting excited about new figurines and it's really cool to see a company paying homage to this classic era of the band's history," says Nikki Sixx. "The KnuckleBonz are so detailed and true to nature. We're really happy with the way they turned out and hope the fans will have as much fun with them as we had in the process of creating them. It's exciting for us to be included along-side great company such as MOTÖRHEAD, GUNS N' ROSES and Alice Cooper."

MÖTLEY CRÜE has sold 100 million albums globally, including 25 million albums in the United States, making it one of the best-selling bands of all time. The MÖTLEY CRÜE biopic film "The Dirt" is currently in production and will capture how they became one of the most notorious bands ever on the sunset strip.

"CRÜE fans have always been very vocal when we ask what should come next in the Rock Iconz series, right down to what era they wanted to see," says Tony Simerman, CEO/creative director of KnuckleBonz, Inc. "It's great to be reliving 1983 as we produce this 'Shout At The Devil'-era set. I remember the video releases and vinyl like it was yesterday."

KnuckleBonz has been creating high-end statues since 2003 and continues to be dedicated to honouring music's greatest performers through master artistry in the limited-edition statue series called Rock Iconz. The company's goal is to capture a "live performance" moment in each limited edition.

Each statue sells for $149 USD and ships worldwide. Rock Iconz collectibles ship in a full-color custom package to protect the collector's investment. Final details on availability will be posted soon. Pre-orders are accepted at KnuckleBonz.com to reserve one of these limited edition MÖTLEY CRÜE collectibles.

Paul Stanley has confirmed that he will join Gene Simmons at his "Vault" event in Nevada.

For the last three months, the KISS bassist/vocalist has has been traveling around the U.S., personally delivering copies of his limited-edition box set, "Gene Simmons - The Vault Experience: 1966-2016", to buyers. The set, including a ticket to one of the "Vault" gatherings, costs $2,000, with the most expensive version going for $50,000.

Although Simmons has been joined by several of his current and former bandmates at various "The Vault" events so far, his KISS partner Paul Stanley has yet to make an appearance. However, that will all change on May 26 when the two KISS co-founders come together in Las Vegas.

Stanley tweeted a graphic advertising his appearance at the event, along with the caption: "Me Busy?? Yes!! TOO Busy?!?! NEVER!!! Can't Wait!"

KISS fans recently speculated that the band would soon embark on a farewell tour following the news that the legendary rock act was attempting to trademark the phrase "The End Of The Road." An application from KISS was filed on February 8 to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which — should it be accepted — means that the band could use it in connection with "live performances by a musical band." As it stands now, no official farewell tour has been announced.

Me Busy?? Yes!! TOO Busy?!?! NEVER!!! Can’t Wait! pic.twitter.com/DAY6Coxv8g— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) April 3, 2018

BLESSTHEFALL's video for the song "Sleepless In Phoenix" can be seen below. The track is taken from the band's latest album, "Hard Feelings", which was released on March 23 via Rise Records. The disc was produced by Tyler Smyth, with additional production by Matt Good and Howard Benson.

"It was pretty awesome filming this video about Phoenix while we were actually in Phoenix," said frontman Beau Bokan."The whole concept is about a dude who buys a possessed TV and he can't get rid of it! We wanted sort of a 'Black Mirror'/'Twilight Zone' vibe. Since the narrative and the performance are happening at the same time, you'll have to watch this multiple times to catch it all! This is one of the coolest videos we've ever made."

"Hard Feelings" track listing:

01. Wishful Sinking

02. Find Yourself

03. Melodramatic

04. Feeling Low

05. Cutthroat

06. I'm Over Being Under(rated)

07. Sleepless in Phoenix

08. Keep Me Close

09. Sakura Blues

10. Welcome Home

Bokan told Upset magazine about the "Hard Feelings" album title: "Once all the songs started coming together, we realized how much raw emotion was put into every line. My wife was wearing a hoodie that said 'No Hard Feelings' on it. As I was in the middle of writing, I saw that hoodie and said to myself, 'Nah, fuck that. Hard feelings.' It's pretty random, but it all clicked."

The singer said that the new disc "sounds fresh. It doesn't sound like anything we've done before, but we've managed to keep our integrity. Fans will hear something familiar, but they will also be extremely surprised to hear what we created."

Regarding the decision to sign with Rise, Bokan said: "We were speaking to a few different labels, and frankly, we really didn't know what the future held for us as a band. Our last album was completely neglected. So we were in a scary position. Rise has a grassroots approach to the way they run their label. They don't have 25 employees running around. They have their shit together, and they're hard workers, just like we are."

BLESSTHEFALL will hit the road later this month, touring with BLACK VEIL BRIDES and ASKING ALEXANDRIA.

On April 1, a.k.a. Fox Day, Japanese pop metal act BABYMETAL released a cryptic video to mark the start of "Metal Resistance Episode VII".

According to the clip, "a new era is about to begin," with a voiceover saying: "Light and darkness. Both are considered to be opposites but at the same time, one cannot exist without the other. Until now, we have only experienced the light side — the legend of three metal spirits. An unknown dark side also exists. A legend of seven metal spirits — The Chosen Seven. A new era is about to begin."

BABYMETAL has also announced the release of its two concerts from December 2-3, 2007 at Hiroshima's Green Arena on a new Blu-ray titled "Legend S - Baptism XX". The limited-edition set, featuring 16 songs, a live CD and a booklet, will only be available for members of the band's fan club, The One.

BABYMETAL played the Hiroshima concerts without one of its three female singers. Yui Mizuno (a.k.a. Yuimetal) did not feel well and doctors suggested that it was in her best interest to not join her bandmates on stage.

Established in 2010, BABYMETAL is the offshoot of the Japanese pop idol group SAKURA GAKUIN that performs a distinctly Japanese mix of schoolgirl J-pop and heavy metal.

BABYMETAL's members — Suzuka Nakamoto (a.k.a. Su-Metal, who handles vocals and dancing), Mizuno and Moa Kikuchi (a.k.a. Moametal), the latter of whom both scream and dance — admit that they had never listened to metal before joining the group. The girls wear gothy schoolgirl costumes, do choreographed dance routines and bang their heads violently.

The official lyric video for the song "Cemetary Stillness" from German metallers CREMATORY, can be seen below. The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Oblivion", which will be released on April 13.

Like all great rock bands, CREMATORY has based its success on the creativity of a well-rehearsed songwriting team. With Germany's leading gothic metal act, it's drummer Markus Jüllich in collaboration with the producer of each individual album that's kept the group's compositions on course for more than 25 years. At the same time, Markus Jüllich has enough experience to know that the band's evolvement depends on fresh ideas and new influences. So, by enlisting guitarists Tosse Basler and Rolf Munkes and, soon after, bassist Jason Mathias he has ensured that the band has remained contemporary and diverse ever since their 2016 release "Monument", reaping the fruits his efforts on "Oblivion".

"In particular, the sound and the selection of songs reflect the impact our three new band members have had," comments Markus Jüllich. "Tosse is a fantastic rhythm guitarist who adds even more diversity to the material with his clean vocals, and our lead guitarist Rolf enhances the record with his solos. Jason has added lots of drive to the deep frequencies, which is why we've consciously opted for a loud mix of the bass parts."

Along with Markus's wife Katrin (keyboards and samples) and vocalist Felix Stass, the three new additions are important factors that ensure that CREMATORY find themselves in a contemporary and forward-looking position in 2018.

In fact, the band went one step further on "Oblivion": while Markus Jüllich and producer Kristian Bonifer were busy working on the basics of their new recording at the Kohlekellerstudio, Stefan Glass, Dirk Riegner and Walter Stobbe were asked to contribute additional input to the creative process.

"Dirk comes from the indie genre and helped to add an important new nuance to the characteristic CREMATORY approach," Markus Jüllich explains. "Stefan Glass is a specialist for orchestral arrangements and Walter Stobbe is a real riff virtuoso on the guitar." The result is thoroughly compelling as well as ingenious. CREMATORY's unmistakable style manifests itself on programmatic numbers such as "Ghost Of The Past" and "Revenge Is Mine", but also on the anthemnic "Wrong Side" and the melancholy title track. The Stefan Glass-inspired orchestral arrangements can be heard on the dark opener "Salvation" as well as on "Until The Dawn", "Blessed" and "For All Of Us". Walter Stobbe's penchant for heavy metal features on "Cemetary Stillness" and on the album's impressive finale, "Demon Inside".

CREMATORY has rarely sounded as multi-faceted and timeless as on "Oblivion". The group's classic trademarks, such as Felix Stass's deep growls, are still present, at the same time new influences emphasise their great commercial potential. Markus Jüllich says: "So far we've had a special motto to set the direction of each of our albums, but 'Oblivion' simply combines all our strengths and experience. Over the years we've learned to blend different styles into the typical CREMATORY sound without ever losing sight of the importance of playing in a way that benefits our music. The motto 'less is more' applies to our compositions 100 percent. CREMATORY songs never lose themselves in exaggerated effects but always go the whole hog. That's partly due to the fact that we've remained very much down to earth."

Which is exactly what CREMATORY's countless fans will be able to witness when the band embarks on its 15-show tour of Germany at the end of April. As Markus Jüllich aptly puts it: "Even if we know exactly what matters when you tour, we want to learn something new with every new concert."

"Oblivion" track listing:

01. Expectation (1:27)

02. Salvation (4:36)

03. Ghost Of The Past (3:59)

04. Until The Dawn (4:36)

05. Revenge Is Mine (4:50)

06. Wrong Side (4:12)

07. Stay With Me (4:13)

08. For All Of Us (4:06)

09. Immortal (3:32)

10. Oblivion (4:52)

11. Cemetary Stillness (4:50)

12. Blessed (4:02)

13. Demon Inside (4:06)

CREMATORY lineup:

Felix Stass - vocals

Rolf Munkes - guitar

Tosse Basler - guitar

Jason Mathias - bass

Markus Jüllich - drums

Katrin Jüllich - keyboards

Rob Halford says that he doesn't waste his time dealing with negative comments from Internet trolls.

While most of the JUDAS PRIEST singer's social media interactions are positive, he still faces criticism for everything from his vocal performance to being an openly gay leather-clad metal icon.

Speaking to Scuzz TV, Rob said (see video below): "Criticism, maybe cynicism is just rampant in music, in creativity. Everybody has a perception and a set of opinions based on what that piece of music is doing to them internally. If I don't like something, I don't like it. I don't have go on Twitter and go, 'This band sucks,' or blah blah blah, 'I can't wait for them to blow up and be a disaster.' That has absolutely no value whatsoever. And it's unfortunate that in music, it's always the negativity and the criticism that seems to be get the most attention. You very rarely hear good stories about great things; it's always about this went wrong, and that went wrong, and you should have done this, and you should have done that. And that's just very… It's really of no use whatsoever. But that's the world we live in — especially with these things [picks up his phone]."

As for how he handles being attacked by strangers on his own social media sites, Halford said: "If I see stupid stuff said about me, fortunately, I go, 'Delete.' But generally I don't delete now — I just leave it there — because within minutes, somebody will go, 'How dare you say that about Rob? He's blah blah blah. And you're sitting there with a 20-pound bag of chips and drinking two gallons of Coke. He's out there doing…' So this is the beautiful thing about the support that you have with your fanbase, helping you through those moments as they happen."

JUDAS PRIEST kicked off the "Firepower" world tour on March 13 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

The band's latest album, "Firepower", was released on March 9 via Epic.

The North American leg of the trek will wrap on May 1 in San Antonio, Texas.

DEF LEPPARD guitarist Phil Collen says that Angus Young should resist the urge to make a new AC/DC album with Axl Rose, insisting that the legendary hard rock band "has lots its integrity" through its recent lineup changes.

Ever since AC/DC completed the tour cycle for its 2014 album "Rock Or Bust" nearly two years ago — a turbulent trek that weathered the forced retirement and eventual death of co-founder Malcolm Young, plus the departures of longtime singer Brian Johnson, drummer Phil Rudd and bassist Cliff Williams — fans have wondered whether sole founding member Angus Young would keep the band going or decide it was time for AC/DC to pack it in.

Singer Angry Anderson of the veteran Australian act ROSE TATTOO said in a recent interview with The Rockpit that Angus told him he is at work on new AC/DC music and intends to have GUNS N' ROSES frontman Axl Rose — who took Johnson's place on the road in 2016 — sing on the LP.

Asked in a recent interview with Forrest of the Boise radio station 96.9 The Eagle if Angus should record a new AC/DC album with Axl, Phil said: "No. I'm a huge AC/DC fan, and if the whole band's left or gone... Malcolm dead, obviously. Brian Johnson got kicked out. Cliff Williams retired and Phil Rudd got arrested. You've got one person [left], so it's not really AC/DC. Maybe call it 'A, WITH AXL ROSE.' It kind of loses its appeal. It becomes karaoke; it becomes something else, and it's lost its integrity, really."

He continued: "I wouldn't do that, personally, if I was Angus. I thought Axl Rose [did] a great job, by the way. I thought he [did] amazing when he stood in for Brian Johnson. I thought he was amazing, actually. Full power to him — he's done really, really good stuff. But I think as a band, if he was gonna do an album, it may sound good, but it's not really the band anymore."

Johnson was forced to leave AC/DC mid-tour due to a dangerous level of hearing loss, while Rudd was dismissed following a drug arrest and Williams decided to retire at the end of the cycle.

Malcolm Young was diagnosed with dementia several years ago and bowed out before the sessions for "Rock Or Bust" began. He died this past November.

Angus has not said publicly what he has planned for the future of AC/DC. Axl is still touring with GUNS N' ROSES but has indicated a willingness to work with AC/DC again. It is also unknown whether Angus will keep the other members of the last touring lineup — including guitarist Stevie Young and drummer Chris Slade — or revamp the roster again.

Paul Stanley says that he is "going over" his schedule to see when he can join Gene Simmons at one of his "Vault" events.

For the last three months, the KISS bassist/vocalist has has been traveling around the U.S., personally delivering copies of his limited-edition box set, "Gene Simmons - The Vault Experience: 1966-2016", to buyers. The set, including a ticket to one of the "Vault" gatherings, costs $2,000, with the most expensive version going for $50,000.

Although Simmons has been joined by several of his current and former bandmates at various "The Vault" events so far, there has been no sign of his KISS partner Paul Stanley.

A few days after Gene told the attendees at his March 25 "Vault" event in New York City that he has been unable to get Paul to come out to any of the gatherings, Stanley took to his Twitter to address his absence.

"Going over my schedule to see when I can join my 'Brother From Another Mother,' Gene, at one of his Vault events," Paul wrote. "You BET I'm going!"

KISS fans recently speculated that the band would soon embark on a farewell tour following the news that the legendary rock act was attempting to trademark the phrase "The End Of The Road." An application from KISS was filed on February 8 to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which — should it be accepted — means that the band could use it in connection with "live performances by a musical band." As it stands now, no official farewell tour has been announced.

Going over my schedule to see when I can join my “Brother From Another Mother”, Gene at one of his Vault events. You BET I’m going! @genesimmons— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) April 2, 2018

Gene Simmons says that he hasn't been able to get his KISS bandmate Paul Stanley to come out to any of his "Vault" events.

For the last three months, the KISS bassist/vocalist has has been traveling around the U.S., personally delivering copies of his limited-edition box set, "Gene Simmons - The Vault Experience: 1966-2016", to buyers. The set, including a ticket to one of the "Vault" gatherings, costs $2,000, with the most expensive version going for $50,000.

Although Simmons has been joined by several of his current and former bandmates at various "The Vault" events so far, there has been no sign of his KISS partner Paul Stanley.

During the March 25 "Vault" event in New York City, Gene addressed Paul's absence, telling the attendees (see video below): "Along the way, some of our friends and family members who started the band with us came by to say hello to wonderful folks like you. Ace [Frehley, original KISS guitarist] has been to three of the 'Vault' events — Los Angeles and a few others. Ace, by the way, is gonna be opening up for the GENE SIMMONS BAND when we do five shows in Australia. He's gonna be using my back-up band and we're just gonna have a great time. He'll play 'Ozone' and lots of other crazy stuff. And Peter Criss [original KISS drummer] came by yesterday, in case you didn't hear. Vinnie Vincent [former KISS guitarist] is gonna be in Nashville. Paul Stanley, I can't get him to come out yet, but we'll see. Maybe I'll get him some paint brushes," apparently referring to the fact that Stanley has been spending much of his time painting and exhibiting his original artwork at various galleries around the country. Simmons added: "The thing we do is tease each other. Tommy [Thayer, current KISS guitarist] and Eric [Singer, current KISS drummer] came to Los Angeles. Bruce Kulick's [former KISS guitarist] been out. Of course, he likes to go out anywhere."

A few years ago, Simmons told Classic Rock magazine about his relationship with Stanley: "Paul is the soul of KISS and I'm… the cock. Paul is much more emotional, and I'm drier. Paul will go see romantic movies, I'll throw up at them." Singer offered his own perspective, telling the magazine: "Gene loves the sound of his own voice, we all know that. But nothing happens in KISS unless Paul Stanley says it does."

KISS fans recently speculated that the band would soon embark on a farewell tour following the news that the legendary rock act was attempting to trademark the phrase "The End Of The Road." An application from KISS was filed on February 8 to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which — should it be accepted — means that the band could use it in connection with "live performances by a musical band." As it stands now, no official farewell tour has been announced.

TESTAMENT guitarist Eric Peterson has confirmed to RockSverige that he has commenced the songwriting process for the follow-up to 2016's "Brotherhood Of The Snake" album. "It's kind of like the same thing we did last time," he said. "I'm librarying riffs right now and getting ideas. Some of the ideas are on my phone, some are on my Logic [Apple's recording studio software] and a lot of my ideas I have in my notes. I usually always go, 'Oh, I'll remember that,' and then the next day I go, 'Fuck! What the hell was that?' What I do now is if I have an idea, I'll just get my phone out and hit the voice memo and I'll write down what I thought and e-mail it. It seems to work pretty well, because when I go back to it a month later, it's, like, 'All right. That's where it was.' I'll look at my notes, and I hear, like, one little piece of a note somewhere. That's happened to me my whole life. There are so many riffs that have gone through my fingers that would've taken us to another level, but I forgot. I don't know that for sure, but I remember that they were really good. I used to have dreams of a song, with singing and everything, and when I wake up, I remember it, but then I get up and make coffee and it starts fading and it's, like, 'Oh, shit!'"

Peterson expressed hope that TESTAMENT's next album could arrive in 2019. "This is [assuming] that we don't take every tour that comes our way, and Chuck [Billy, TESTAMENT singer] seems to be on that page," he said. "Our plan was to end in August 2018 and maybe get into the studio by the end of 2018 and put the record out in 2019. But, you know, SLAYER's announced [their farewell tour] and they want us to be a part of it. I would imagine, if that stuff happens, then things will get pushed back a little bit, but the initial plan is to have it out in 2019. [We're] ready for summer to do all the A markets for festivals and stuff. This summer we're not doing a lot of festivals; we're actually talking about bowing out of a couple to make other things happen with the SLAYER farewell thing."

According to Peterson, fans shouldn't expect to see TESTAMENT follow SLAYER's lead and announce a final tour anytime soon. "I don't think we're in that position to say goodbye yet," he said. "Who knows whats gonna happen? SLAYER's in a different predictament, but they're not that much older than us. Of course, they're a lot more successfull and they can bow out gracefully. When it does come, we'll probably do something like that. Tour the world for a year and a half, but I don't see that happening anytime soon. I would imagine it's more near than far away. [Laughs] I think we have a couple of records in us."

TESTAMENT will support SLAYER on the first two legs of the Tom Araya-fronted outfit's last-ever North American run of dates. Also scheduled appear on the bill are LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX and BEHEMOTH (with NAPALM DEATH replacing BEHEMOTH for the second leg).

TESTAMENT is continuing to tour in support of "Brotherhood Of The Snake", which was released in October 2016 via Nuclear Blast.

DEATH ANGEL guitarist Rob Cavestany says that "it wasn't really a total shock" to find out that SLAYER was planning to embark on a "farewell" tour.

Back in January, SLAYER, one of metal's most popular and influential bands of the past four decades, announced its "final world tour" via a 30-second video. The group also confirmed that the first leg of its last-ever North American run of dates would feature support from LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX, BEHEMOTH and TESTAMENT.

Speaking to The Rockpit, Cavestany was asked how he felt about the Tom Araya-fronted outfit calling it quits.

"My thoughts are that some of us could see this coming for various reasons," Rob said. "We've spent a lot of time with SLAYER in the fall of 2016 on the North American tour with SLAYER and ANTHRAX. Those guys are fucking legendary, of course; they're even at the top of their game. I've hardly seen them so tight, putting on such an amazing show and production — everything. However, they're tired, man. They're a little older than us, and you can see that, at some point, you're just going at it to a point that it's going to come to an end, and I can tell that they would want to not fizzle out. They would rather go out while they're still fucking awesome."

Rob went on to say that he didn't expect SLAYER to make to make the farewell-tour announcement "this soon, but I expected it sooner or later, so it wasn't really a total shock, even though it is heartbreaking, because, yeah, they're SLAYER and they're going to go on forever, just like anyone else does. So at this point, my thoughts on that are I hope that we can play on one of the legs of this tour," he said. "It's going to be an amazing tour, and I hope to support those guys one more time before they aren't tourable anymore."

Cavestany also admitted that SLAYER's decision to retire has made him think about the fact his own band will at some point no longer be able to perform its music with the physicality it demands. "As the days go by, eventually you have to realize that there's going to be that day for every one of us [when we are not able to do this anymore], not to mention all these legendary musicians dying," he said. "They're really done, and you're never going to get these people back and they'll never be able to be replaced. It's what's happening to all our gods of music, and you look at your own band and you've just gotta think, 'I've been fortunate that we've been able to do what whatever we did up to this point.' So all that leads me to think about how vital every moment is with your band and one day you're going to be looking back on the old days that you had with this band and running around the world doing all the stuff that we did and it won't be too long from now when that's going to end up happening. So we just take every moment of it for how precious it is. I think it makes everything that much more intense and it's going to make the music we create that much more intense and our shows. We don't take any fucking moment of it for granted. You might not even call it quits; It might call it quits on you, because it happens to people, so you just never know. The way to take that is to just make the most of every moment and put in everything you got in, because, at one point, it will be gone."

SLAYER will kick off the first leg of its farewell world tour with a May 10 concert at San Diego's Valley View Casino Center, with dates running through August 26 at San Jose, California's SAP Center.

DEATH ANGEL's latest studio album, "The Evil Divide", was released in May 2016 via Nuclear Blast. The CD was recorded at AudioHammer studios in Sanford, Florida with producer Jason Suecof, who previously worked on 2010's "Relentless Retribution" and 2013's "The Dream Calls For Blood".